Shuttle check



W. M. WATTIE April 3, 1934.

SHUTTLE CHECK Filed Nov. 30, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l mlentor' bJ'nrmm Tn. Mattie April 3, 1934. w. M. WATTIE SHUTTLE CHECK Filed Nov. so. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wu ta T (lttor neg s Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES SHUTTLE CHECK William M. Wattie, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 30, 1931, Serial No. 578,067

8 Claims.

This invention relates to looms using fly shuttles and particularly to devices for bringing the shuttle to rest at the end of its flight.

The tendency at the present time is to run looms much faster than was previously considered desirable, this being particularly the case with wide looms. This increased speed of operation involves a substantial increase in the speed of the shuttle and a correspondingly increased diliiculty in stopping the shuttle. Unless the shuttle is effectively checked before engaging the picker, excessive picker wear takes place at the increased speed.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved device for checking the flight of a shuts tle in a high speed loom.

A further object is to provide a device by which the pressure applied to check the shuttle increases progressively as the shuttle enters the shuttle box.

I also provide much reduced resistance to outward movement of the shuttle at the time of picking.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Two forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of parts of a loom embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 'is a front elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified construction, and

Fig. 5 is a plan View, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, I have shown a portion of a lay 10 having drop boxes 11 and 12 vertically slidable in guideways 13 and 14. The drop boxes are moved vertically by a lifter rod 15 and are adapted to receive shuttles S and S. The active shuttle S engages a sliding picker 16 (Fig. 1) when it has fully entered the shuttle box. All parts thus far described are of the usual construction.

A binder 20 is provided for each shuttle box 11 and 12 and these binders are pivoted on vertical studs or hearing members 21, mounted on the front of the shuttle boxes 11 and 12. The usual binder spring 22 is provided for each binder 20 and is secured by a screw 23 to the front of the corresponding shuttle box. Each spring 22 engages its binder 20 near the middle of its length and forces the binder yieldingly rearward against the front side wall of the shuttle S or S.

I also provide a series of shuttle-engaging elements 30, pivotally mounted in pairs on bearings 31 spaced lengthwise along the upper and lower edges of the binders 20.

These elements are L-shaped in cross section and are provided with vertical and horizontal flange portions, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The horizontal flanges engage upper and lower surfaces of the front portion of the shuttle as th shuttle enters the shuttle box.

Coil springs 32, 33, 34 and 35 are connected between studs 36 in the elements 30 and act to yieldingly draw said elements toward each other to the position shown in the lower left hand'portion of Fig. 2. The springs 32, 33, 34 and 35 progressively increase in strength in the order named, so that the springs 32 draw their shuttleengaging elements 30 toward each other with the least tension, while the springs 35 exert the greatest tension.

In Fig. 2 the shuttle S is shown as being fully boxed and as engaged by all four pair of shuttleengaging elements 30, whereas the shuttle S is shown as in the act of entering the box and is engaged by only two of the four pairs of elements 30 for the lower box.

My improved shuttle check has been found very effective in bringing a high speed shuttle to rest without delivering a severe blow on the picker. The checking action of the elements 30'appears to be exerted more largely during the time when the shuttle is entering between apair of elements 30and is forcing the elements apart against the tension of the corresponding spring' After the elements are fully separated, the shuttle slides along between them with much less resistance. Consequently by providing a series of elements 30, so positioned as to be successively pushed apart by the entering shuttle, I am able to apply repeated and increasing resistance to the boxing of the shuttle, and the shuttle is thus brought easily to rest.

At the same time the resistance of the shuttle to movement thereof by the picker is much less than the resistance to boxing of the shuttle, as the picking movement is performed merely against the side friction of the elements 30 on the surfaces of the shuttle, there being no wedging action during the return or picking movement.

It is found in practice that the resistance of all of the elements to shuttle-picking is about equal to the resistance to boxing exerted by the first or weakest pair of shuttle-engaging elements.

In Figs. 4 to 5 I have shown a somewhat simplified construction, in which all of the shuttleengaging elements 40 are actuated by a single wire spring 42. This spring 42 is looped around a stud 43 fixed in the binder 4A and then passes through openings in projections 45 extending outwardly from each element 40.

The two parts of the spring 42 are crossed between each two pairs of elements 40, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The extreme outer ends 47 of the spring 42 are extended between the bearings of the outermost pair of elements 40 and engage the outer surface of the binder, as shown in Fig. 5.

With this construction, the same progressive action and increasing spring tension is experienced as the shuttle enters the box, the operation being substantially similar to that already described.

When found desirable, one or two additional springs 50 (Fig. 5) may be mounted on one pair of the elements 40, these springs being positioned for engagement by the shuttle S as it fully enters the shuttle box. The springs 50 constitute yielding stops adapted to prevent positive engagement of the shuttle with the picker, thus greatly prolonging the life of the picker.

The springs 50 receive a slight movement toward the path of the shuttle as the associated elements 40 are swung outward by the entrance-of the shuttle between them.

It will thus appear that I have provided a much improved construction for checking a shuttle as it enters the shuttle box and for bringing the shuttle progressively and easily to rest before it engages and damages the picker.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a loom, a shuttle box, a movable binder, and a plurality of pairs of shuttle checking elements associated with said box and positioned for successive engagement and separation by a shuttle entering said box the members of each pair moving away from each other when thus engaged and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the binder.

2. In a loom, a shuttlebox, a movable binder, a plurality of pairs of shuttle checking elements associated with said box and positioned for successive engagement and separation by a shuttle enteringsaid box, the members of each pair moving away from each other when thus engaged and perpendicular to the direction of movement of .rality of the binder and means to yieldingly resist such separation of said pairs of elements.

3. In a loom, a shuttle box, a plurality of shuttle checking elements mounted on spaced pivots and extending from said pivots in a direction away from the mouth of said box, and yielding means to normally maintain said elements in the path of an entering shuttle.

4. In a loom, a substantially rigid shuttle binder, having a shuttle-engaging surface and a plushuttle-engaging members movably mounted on said binder and positioned to successively engage a portion or" said shuttle not at any time engaged by said binder as the shuttle enters the shuttle box.

5. In a loom, a shuttle binder, engaging a side face of the shuttle, and a plurality of shuttleengaging members movably mounted in pairs on said binder and positioned to successively engage upper and lower surfaces of said shuttle as it enters the shuttle box.

6. In a loom, a shuttle box, a binder, a plurality of shu tle-engaging elements mounted in spaced pairs on said binder, and a spring for each pair of said elements, efiective to swing said elements into positions from which they will be wedged apart by an entering shuttle.

7. In a loom, a shuttle box, a binder, a plurality of shuttle-engaging elements mounted in spaced pairs on said binder, and a spring for each pair of said elements, effective to swing said elements into position from which they will be wedged apart by an entering shuttle, said springs exerting progressively greater tension on said elements in accordance with their distance away from the mouth of the shuttle box.

8. In a loom having a shuttle movable along the lay, said shuttle having a vertical slot for passage of the bobbin at weft replenishment, a shuttle check comprising a series of devices to engage the shuttle successively to check the motion thereof and operating in a plane substantially parallel to the slot to engage relatively nondeformable surfaces of the shuttle.

WILLIAM M. WATTIE. 

